Occurrence of concurrent avian pasteurellosis and inclusion body hepatitis in a red belly Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata)

A red belly macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata) bird was brought for necropsy from a farm comprising of about 200 pet birds including love birds with a history of sudden death. Gross lesions recorded were severe congestion of the liver, spleen and meningeal vessels. Impression smears from the liver and spleen revealed numerous bipolar organisms. Histopathologically, congestion of liver and lungs and basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies of IBH (inclusion body hepatitis) in the hepatocytes were observed. Heart blood swab subjected for biological test, biochemical characterization studies and pathogenicity test revealed Pasteurella multocida. The PCR assay with species specific primers for Pasteurella multocida (KMT1T7 & KMT1SP6) yielded a product of 460 bp size. The case was diagnosed as concurrent occurrence of avian cholera and inclusion body hepatitis.